About the Foundation

Our History

Founded as a public charity in 1997, the Greene County Foundation is a vital and sustainable organization that serves the Greene County community. A volunteer Board of Directors, whose makeup reflects the diversity of the communities it serves, governs the Foundation. The Foundation annually awards over a quarter million dollars in grants through fund payouts, competitive grants, and student scholarships and has made an impact in every school, town, city, and informal community in Greene County.

Our Mission

The mission of the Greene County Foundation is to inspire individuals to engage in strengthening Greene County now and for generations to come.

As a public charity, we accomplish our mission by:

Building permanent charitable funds

Connecting donors to organizations, programs and charitable causes of interest

Accountability – We believe it is our obligation to answer to our donors and our community in everything we do.

Leadership – We believe that the Foundation guides the development of philanthropy in Greene County.

Credibility – We believe that integrity is imperative in our conduct with other organizations, donors, and constituents, both within our community and elsewhere.

Community – We believe the Foundation unites Greene County in community sharing through philanthropic initiatives.

Philanthropy – We believe in promoting philanthropy as a devoted and unselfish concern for the welfare of others through gifts of time, talent, and treasure.

What is a community foundation?

A community foundation is a way for all people to make a lasting difference in their community. The purpose of a community foundation is to serve the needs and philanthropic goals of donors who wish to improve their community, now and in the future. Community foundations do this by providing donors with flexible, efficient and tax-effective ways to ensure that their charity achieves the greatest possible impact. Read more…

2018 Financials

Founded as a public charity in 1997,
the Greene County Foundation is a
vital and sustainable organization
that serves the Greene County
community. Read more...

The National Standards Seal by our name indicates official confirmation from the Council on Foundations and the Indiana Grantmakers Alliance that we have met the most rigorous standards in philanthropy. It affirms our commitment to financial security, transparency and accountability. It says our grantmaking includes an open, competitive process designed to address the changing needs of our community. The National Standards Seal also confirms our history of honoring donors’ wishes—to support the arts, cultivate gardens, help the homeless, cure illness, expand literacy, feed children, and countless other important causes.
The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations Program was established in 2000 in cooperation with the Council on Foundations. National Standards guide community foundations in establishing legal, ethical and effective operational practices that serve as blueprints for internal development and benchmarks for external assessment. The 43 National Standards require that we document our policies in donor services, investment management, grantmaking and administration. To receive confirmation of National Standards compliance, the Community Foundation submitted its organizational and financial policies and procedures to a rigorous peer review.